Search This Blog

Friday, September 09, 2005

What Time Is Lunch?…

The detailed three page lesson plan for this 2nd grade class assignment was clear, concise and complete. The required materials were labeled and arrayed in order of use on a desk in the corner of the room. I couldn’t ask for a better start.

Then the kids came in.

No one in this class can seem to ask a question unless their nose is planted squarely in my face.

ME: “Ok! RULE for today! You have sit down and raise your hand to ask a question.”

I think I repeated this phrase ten thousand times that morning and still there would be a tug on my [shirt/pant leg/hand/arm]: “[Where/what/when/how/why/can] I [read/ write/ get/ put/ have] [that/ this/ he/ she/ it/ them]?”

Each time I’d look the little yanker kid (YK) in the eye and ask: “Are you in your seat with hand raised”?

YK: “Oh…I forgot.” And back to his/her seat they go.(Repeat this scene all morning…)

Finally, during the math work sheet, a hand is raised! The little YK is IN her seat!

Praising the little YK for being seated and quietly raining her hand, I smilingly ask: “Now what question do you have?”

YK: “What time is lunch?”

ME: Eyes closed, rubbing forehead with thumb and index finger. “Ok. Listen up. New rule! You have sit down and raise your hand to ask a question AND the question has to be about the work we are doing NOW!”

The rest of the day we worked on the “…work we are doing NOW!” with not much progress.

Class behavior report:Four boys earn first level warning cards for acting up in class.One boy earns a second level timeout after throwing a fit about getting a warning card.

Injury report:“Throwing Fit” kid fakes fall and points to elbow claiming to need a cold pack from the health office. He becomes indignant and starts to cry when request is refused. Somewhat mollified when supplied wet paper towel.

Oh Damn! report:Kid waits too long to ask permission to go to the bathroom. We have leakage. Janitors do “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to do choose who gets damage control.

Summary:The lesson plans were great but execution of the plan not so smooth.